[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dreaming_of_Sunshine_8027.jpg]]-->''There was only darkness. I was small and helpless, lost and confused and alone and trapped in a body that would not, could not respond to my helpless panicked thoughts. I could hear a child, a baby, screaming but it wasn't me because I couldn't move, couldn't breathe couldn't do anything but lie still and hope we were hidden and please, please don't notice me…''

-->''Life as a ninja. It starts with confusion and terror and doesn't get any better from there.''

Shikako Nara is an average girl from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. She has friends, a loving family, but there is something different about her, a secret. And she's been keeping it from birth.

''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7347955/1/ Dreaming of Sunshine]]'' is a ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' fanfic with a unique approach to the SelfInsert genre of fan-fiction. It attained legendary status among the SelfInsertFic community by avoiding many of the more common pitfalls associated with the poorer examples via snappy dialogue and a plot that remains focused on the inner struggles of the protagonist as an observer. Among the Naruto fandom, it is often compared favorably to ''FanFic/{{Team 8}}'', another legendary fic.

Overall, a massive DoorStopper guaranteed to keep you reading for hours.

Recursive:* ''[[https://archiveofourown.org/series/326312 The Grass Chunin Exams]]'' Alternate perspectives of the [[spoiler: Second Chunin Exams Arc]]. Spoilers for chapters 92 - 95.* ''FanFic/SugarPlums'': Main character reborn into the ''Dreaming of Sunshine'' universe, not in Konoha, but in Kirigakure.

Immitators:* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8521858/1/ The Cassandra Effect]]'' Hiruzen introduces his four-year-old daughter, Nanako, to Danzo, the allegedly-former head of ROOT. At her own insistence.* ''FanFic/CatchYourBreath'': Keisuke Gekko and Team Minato grow up as children set to a background of war.* ''Fanfic/CivilianPianist'': Hoshino Tomoko is reborn during the Third Shinobi World War, and in an interesting twist, chooses to be a civilian instead of a ninja.* ''FanFic/DejaVuNoJutsu'': An army sergeant dies in battle and wakes up as an orphan in Konoha, meeting Minato and the rest of his generation, causing a spiral of events to unfold. Deserves note for being '''complete''' unlike the vast majority.* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8094086/1/ Distorted Reality]]'' The main character is a branch Hyuuga, and remembers her past life, but knows nothing of the Narutoverse.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10796824/1/ Dragonfly]]'' A girl is born into the Uchiha clan years before the massacre. This one is actually a parody.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11711337/1/ Go ask Alice]]'' "She hadn't expected it; hadn't expected anything like it, really. Of course, dying wasn't something that people generally expected when they were her age; and then, there was the matter of being reborn in a place she barely knew about. Still, whatever else came, her new life was bound to be a bizarre adventure..." ''Main Character gets reborn into the [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Phantom Blood]]-era Brando family.''* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8102398/1/ Hacia el sol]]'' ("Towards the sun") is similar, with the varient that the SI is Neji's younger sister.* ''FanFic/KakashisKid'': The main character is reborn as Hatake Kakashi's daughter.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10406024/1/ Laterality]]'' The main character is given a second chance in life as Minato's younger sister.* ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8139663/1/ Little Acorn]]'' A blind girl with fuzzy memories of a past life. Noteworthy in that she is not related to a major character - her older brother is Yoroi Akado.* ''FanFic/OfTheRiverAndTheSea'': The main character is reborn as the child of a whore in Kiri at the height of the Bloody Mist.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10498827/1/ Runner]]'' "Mint is extremely invasive. Mint grows and survives, even when starved and poisoned. Better not to plant it at all." The orphan Hakka gets enlisted into ROOT and replaces Rin on Minato's genin team.* ''FanFic/{{Vapors}}'' A Self Insert story that details the life and trials of Naruto Uzumaki’s twin sister, Aiko Uzumaki.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11486407/1/ Welcome To Tomorrow]]'' The main character is reborn as Itachi and Sasuke's older sister.[[/folder]]

[[folder: Other Links]]* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/community/Heliocentrism/119149/ Heliocentrism]]'' A community on ff.net,, compiles basically every story in the Dreaming of Sunshine Universe. This includes sidestories, translations, and spinoffs by fans.* ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/forum/We-re-all-just-Dreaming-of-Sunshine/180237/ We're all Dreaming of Sunshine]]'' A forum created on ff.net, mainly to discuss the story, plot points, or other things.* ''[[http://doscg.weebly.com/index.html Dreaming of Sunshine Chapter Guide]]''. A fansite started in July 2012, it serves as a carefully constructed encyclopedia about D.O.S. whilst being highly accessible even to outsiders. Might be considered a tribute to the growing legendary status of the fic amongst internet-goers. * [[http://dosbysilverqueen.tumblr.com dosbysilverqueen]] A tumblr, which mainly revolves around the weekly podfic posts, but also includes other content such as fanart, fanvids, and music suggestions for "the soundtrack"[[/folder]]----!!This fanfiction series contains examples of:

* AwesomeButImpractical[=/=]DifficultButAwesome: Shikako notes in the [[spoiler: Second Chunnin Exam arc, during her fight with Gaara]] that fuinjutsu is slow to prepare and very specialized in application, but that it is almost effortless when executed and the effects are often spectacular.-->''This was something I could never have done with ninjutsu. I didn't have the chakra, I didn't have the control, and I didn't have the concentration. The cost was too high. But fuinjutsu was different – you paid in time and knowledge instead. That made it less useful in battle where you so rarely had '''time''', but sometimes. Sometimes it was perfect.''* AintTooProudToBeg: Temari, after Gaara's loss.* AlmightyJanitor: Delayed Trope. Shikako remains a genin after [[spoiler:Tsunade's instatement]]. She was nearly promoted for her deductive abilities and leadership, but not all of her skills are significantly removed from the average expected from a genin. Later on, as she [[TookALevelInBadass grinds levels]], that changes. She also gains a truly ridiculous mission record.** Later lampshaded by Tsunade and the Raikage during the Kusa Chuunin exams with regards to Shikako. [[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7898335/15/Sunshine-Sidestories "S-RANK?"]]* AnArmAndALeg: [[spoiler:Shikamaru gets his arm turned to stone and crushed by Ishidate.]]* AngstySurvivingTwin: Brought up by Tsunade after [[spoiler:the Retrieval Arc - Ukon dies after trying to possess Naruto, leaving his twin brother Sakon to be brought back to the village for interrogation.]]** Also, [[spoiler:Toki]] in the Land of Birds Arc. ** The fear of this trope is what drives some of the interpersonal conflict between Shikamaru and Shikako - with Shikako near constantly in danger, Shikamaru fears losing her.* AuthorAvatar: Shikako, as per the premise of the fic. * BadassBookworm: Shikako.* TheBeastmaster: Besides the canon summoners, [[spoiler: Ino becomes the new Chameleon Summoner and Shikako the new Deer Summoner.]]* BeenThereShapedHistory: Team 7 has been involved with arguably 6 separate regime changes at this point; [[spoiler: Prevented leadership over throw in the lands of Birds and Moon, helped it in Water and Snow, as for Leaf and Sand, helping to find Tsunade, and helped Gaara put on a show for an international crowd and reform him as canon.]]* BerserkButton: For both Shikako and Shikamaru, hurting their twin.* BigBrotherInstinct: Shikamaru displays this thrice, [[spoiler:first when Sasuke hurt Shikako while under the influence of the curse seal,]] again [[spoiler:when she gets [[MindRape mind raped]] by Itachi,]] and finally [[spoiler:when she gets possessed by Gelel.]]* BigDamnHeroes: ''Repeatedly'' in Chapter 61.--> '''Shikako:''' [[LampshadeHanging Everyone is making such dramatic entrances today]].* BlondeBrunetteRedhead: Ino, Shikako and Sakura.* BodyguardingABadass: As in canon, a Kage’s “bodyguards” are not so much there to defend their leader as to show off their village’s strength. [[spoiler: At the Hidden Grass Chunin Exams, which all the major villages attend despite their tense relationships with one another, Tsunade has Kakashi as her bodyguard, while the Mizukage has Zabuza. And a year later, when Tsunade makes Shikako and Sasuke her bodyguards for the exams at Hidden Mist, everyone involved realizes that it's for their protection rather than hers.]]* BoomHeadshot: The death of Kin Tsuchi and [[spoiler: a literal example in the Kusa shinobi that tries to kidnap Shikako after her fight in the second Chunin Exams with Gaara]].* BraidsOfAction: Shikako wears her hair in a single long braid. [[spoiler: She wins her second match of her second Chuunin Exams by using her hair to strangle her opponent until he passes out.]]* BrandishmentBluff: [[GuileHero Shikako]] will occasionally call out an attack that does not exist or use an extremely misleading name. For example, “Nara Art: The Shadow Devours” isn’t a shadow jutsu but merely a genjutsu. “Lightning Style: Super Beam Cannon” doesn’t exist at all.* BroughtDownToBadass: [[spoiler:Muku]] does this to [[spoiler:Shikako]] during their match with his chakra-sealing technique.* CallingYourAttacks: Lampshaded and justified by Shikako - it helps with mental focus and significantly increases the effectiveness of many jutsu.* CastFromHitPoints: By Shikako, on three different occasions to date. In one case, "hit point" part is only fully explained in [[AllThereInTheManual sidestories]].** Chapter 72 has this medical discussion (related to the Gelel arc): --> '''A random medic:''' "I was on shift then and she just walked right in. They didn't think she was seriously hurt until they went to take a reading and the chakra sensor started spitting out single digit readings".** Chapter 16 of sidestories, related to Chapter 98: --> '''Kakashi:''' I don't think she knows how bad it was, but she had nothing left. She [[spoiler: rescued herself]], and then she had nothing left...** And now in Chapter 134, [[spoiler: after using a seal powerful enough to blow half of the country]]: --> '''in discussion with Tsunade:''' "Using [[spoiler: life energy]] shortens your life".* ChildSoldiers: Played straighter than usual, Shikako is enough of a modern person to find the concept offputting. [[DeliberateValuesDissonance Luckily]], Konoha has a careful desensitization program as part of the education system.* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:The Sword of the Thunder God]] comes in ''mighty'' handy during Shikako and Ino's fight against [[spoiler:Kidomaru.]]** Way back in Chapter 6, Shikako muses that "You needed light to have shadows but there was a legend that the founder of the clan, many hundreds of years ago, could control the very night itself". ** Shikako's ability to sense natural chakra is mentioned very early on, and did not become relevant again for almost sixty chapters.** Back in Chapter 3, Shikako mentioned training without chakra in order to increase her base stamina. Comes in handy in Chapter 94 when her chakra is sealed away in the middle of a fight, something that completely disables most ninja. ** Also chapter 3, Shikako mentions how the Nara believe in self acceptance and mentions "what would I do if someone hurt my brother?" as a question. In chapter 114, we finally [[WhamEpisode find out]] the answer to that question.* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Shikako's the moral compass on her Team - despite what she can't fix in the timeline, she's the reason Naruto has more friends from a younger age, and she's helped Sasuke open up to others as well. It frequently gets her in trouble, since she occasionally acts without thinking.* ColdBloodedTorture: Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Division [[spoiler:does not do this, and Konoha takes a very dim view of it for both moral and [[TortureIsIneffective prac]][[InterrogatedForNothing tical]] reasons.]]* CombatPragmatist: Shikako. She prefers to ambush her opponents or take them out with traps whenever possible. [[spoiler:Also see the entry for MurderIsTheBestSolution.]]* ContrivedCoincidence: Noted by Shikako - see InSpiteOfANail below.* CurbStompBattle: [[spoiler:Naruto's fight with Neji in the Chunin exams. Neji never even touches the real Naruto.]]** [[spoiler: And then by the Sound Four against Ibiki.]]** Shikako vs. [[spoiler: Netsui.]] ends with the former winning without ever touching the latter. * DeathByAdaptation:** Type I: [[spoiler:Karin]], although the characters don't know [[spoiler:her]] name. [[spoiler:She gets mauled to death by a bear offscreen and they find her body.]] ** Type II: [[spoiler:The Sound Genin trio die during the Forest of Death.]]* DeadpanSnarker: Shikako, occasionally.* {{Demonization}}: Strongly averted - Shikako's narrative treats most people sympathetically, averting either DracoInLeatherPants ''or'' RonTheDeathEater. The only people depicted badly are the truly repulsive villains, with [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder Kabuto]] so far getting the worse of it.* DebtDetester: Shikako offers Tenten a position as a second author in developing a new storage seal for the village to use: it's a job using her interest in sealing and her specialty within that, it will pay well, it will help the village, and they would be looking at good royalties once it's being sold. Tenten hesitates too accept because she's a no-name orphan and has already received so much from Shikako that Tenten has no idea how to begin repaying her. -->'''Shikako:''' *is trying to get Tenten out of the way of a political ploy* ...Mostly I was doing it to foist all the paperwork off on you.-->'''Tenten:''' [[LaughingMad *starts laughing uncontrollably*]]* DemolitionsExpert: Shikako learned how to seal by starting with explosive tags. By the finals of her [[spoiler:first]] Chuunin Exams, she's got the explosive seals down to a ''touch.'' She's of the opinion that if explosives can't solve your problems, you're not using enough of them.* DemotedToExtra: Sakura due to Shikako taking her place on Team Seven (which she feels guilty about). After her team fails to pass their test, she eventually decides to turn towards the Medic Corps, with a little prompting from Shikako and Ino.* DisproportionateRetribution: Shikako basically masterminds a revolutionary upgrade of the Logistics department via her seals (with help of Tenten) that leaves the department in chaos. Why? [[spoiler: Somebody in Logistics called Shikamaru an idiot.]]* TheDreaded: Team 7 [[AscendedFanon to the Mission Desk Ninja.]]** Gets to the point where any member of Team 7 who touches ''anything'' in their office has "cursed" that particular mission... if not all of them.* DumbassNoMore: Naruto. He's only a little more powerful than in canon, but his tactics improve considerably, mostly due to Shikako teaching him how to strategize effectively. [[spoiler:This earns him a promotion to chuunin.]]* ElementalShapeshifter: [[spoiler: Shikako can now change into shadow, via her Gelel stone.]]* EmotionlessGirl: Shikako has an accident while practicing the Nara clan techniques that leaves her completely detached from everything, to the point where she can't even bring herself to care that it isn't her normal state of mind. She recovers after a few days, though.* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Land of Grass.--> Land of Grass was pretty much as advertised. Land. And grass. * FantasyContraception: Tsunade invented a jutsu that not only prevents conception but also halts the menstrual cycle—which can be lifesaving in a world where one's enemies may be able to smell a single drop of blood from miles away—and is easy enough for Academy students to learn. The kunoichi of Konoha revere her for this.* FauxActionGirl: Justified - Ino's been hit by this during [[spoiler:the Retrieval Arc]], but mostly because she's facing an opponent miles out of her league, against whom her SignatureMove is ''useless'' [[spoiler:because of Orochimaru's seal having affected his psyche and chakra.]]* FishOutOfWater: As noted in Chapter 63, Shikako still feels like an outsider due to having previously grown up in a society indoctrinated by different values, particularly regarding the value of life.* FollowTheLeader / FromClonesToGenre: Started a movement in the Naruto Fandom and The Self-Insert genre resulting in dozens of fics with a similar premise. Interestingly, many of these authors try to ''not'' copy the same formula, even with this sort of inspiration. See the Supplimentary Fics folder for more.* FreakinessShame: When Team 7 are in Taki, some differing circumstances result in them meeting Fuu, another of the Jinchurikki.* FunnyAneurysm: "Do you think you made enough exploding notes?" Kakashi-sensei asked seriously. [[spoiler:"You might only be able to level a very small country."]]* GenreSavvy: Chapter 114, Shikako makes sure her team is ready to spring into action, not because of her future knowledge (it's a filler) but because "if something's going to happen, this is the last chance".* GiverOfLameNames: "Nara are good at a lot of things, but names aren't one of them. We're twins named 'deer girl' and 'deer boy' and the only reason we have the 'deer' is because of tradition."* {{Hammerspace}}: One of the first applications for seals that Shikako makes use of. Also done by Tenten. Interestingly, in Shikako's case, she uses them on her own body frequently, sealing important, useful, or valuable items directly to her person.* TheHeart: Shikako is the emotional and moral center of Team Seven, and on a larger scale, of the Konoha Twelve. Hinata and Ino are as well, in different ways. Hinata because she is a rallying point for the others, someone they gather around to support. Ino, because she is someone who supports everyone else.* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Zabuza and Haku.]]* HeroicSelfDeprecation: Shikako has a mild case of this. For example, when Jiraiya asks her if she had compiled her notes on fuinjutsu in the few months since becoming a genin, she assumed he was criticizing her, when it's fairly clear he was impressed.* HeroKiller: The Sound Four - they [[spoiler:defeat ''Ibiki Morino'']] and subsequently prove themselves dangerous enough to threaten Shikako's efforts in preventing Sasuke's canonical FaceHeelTurn. Kimimaro as well, since he [[spoiler: nearly ''kills'' Naruto!]]* HighlyVisibleNinja: Played with. Shikako notes that wearing clothes that are good for stealth is less important than blending in with a civilian population. This makes for a refreshing change from the standard fanfiction rant about how Naruto's orange outfit will get him killed.* ImprovisedWeapon: [[spoiler: Sakura]] knocks out an escaped prisoner with a vase, and Shikako wins a fight by [[spoiler: strangling her opponent with her braid until he passes out.]]* InSpiteOfANail: Several things that one might expect to play out differently don't. For example, most of the match ups in the chuunin exams are the same as in the original story [[spoiler:despite the fact that Shikako killed the Sound team. Shikako theorizes that the selection of the participants was rigged, and that the finals probably were too.]] Despite this, a number of things ''[[DeathByAdaptation do change]]'' – some of which cannot be substituted easily, regardless of the petty whims of fate.** Also notable in some other instances because for the most part Shikako has been attempting to avoid changing anything major - after all, the best parts of her inside knowledge depend on some things remaining consistent. At first. [[spoiler: Unfortunately she's forgotten some of it.]]* IronicNickname: Team 7 as Team Lucky Sevens, as coined by Tsunade.-->'''Tsunade''': *groan* You three are like Lucky Sevens. When you turn up, I just know things are about to go to hell.* TheJinx: In Chapter 12 of ''Sunshine Sidestories,'' it's shown that the Special Jounin Sasuke patrols with all see him as one of these. Each of the jounin have some kind of horror/traumatizing story from working with him, from impostors and contraband to Aburame giggling about flesh-eating beetles. ** This is expanded on in chapter 104 to include Shikako and possibly all of Team 7. Shikako herself is unaware, and thinks the desk ninja are just weird.* TheJuggernaut: [[spoiler:It takes the combined efforts of all the remaining Konoha Genin plus the sand trio to put Kimimaro down after he was blown up at close range, effortlessly defeated Kiba, and almost killed Naruto. Even with Sasuke using his Curse Seal Level 2, Naruto pulling on the Kyuubi, and Gaara pinning him down with sand, it was STILL a close call. Juggernaut, INDEED.]]* LaserBlade: The Sword of the Thunder God. It's similarity to a [[StarWars lightsaber]] is [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Shikako.-->''I was a ninja. I knew there were jutsu and weapons of every description and ability and more. And yet, some things were so deeply ingrained, like the cultural belief that the coolest weapon in the world was made of light and went [[CrowningMomentOfFunny zshooshm.]]''* LateArrivalSpoiler: It's hard to hide that Shikako replaces Sakura on Team 7, making the latter DemotedToExtra.* LimitedAdvancementOpportunities: Noted by Shikako regarding the Special Jounin as a rank. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that they are valued experts in a specialty, and thus can have difficulty getting promoted out of it.* MajorInjuryUnderreaction: Somewhat lampshaded by Sasuke after Shikako's fight with [[spoiler:Muku.]]-->'''Sasuke:''' (irritated & exasperated) "Shikako! You can't just stand around and have a conversation while your arm bone is sticking out! You have to say something!"-->'''Shikako:''' "It's called a humerus. [[FunWithHomophones But I don't suppose it's that funny.]]"* MeaningfulName: Combined with PunnyName, sort of: Shikako could be written as 死歌稿,giving symbolic references to both Death and Writing ( UndeadAuthor ),while also referencing her most lethal techniques,which are written symbols that kill people.* MindRape: [[spoiler:Shikako gets subjected to Tsukuyomi. It was so bad that she kept screaming ''even after she was knocked unconscious''.]]** [[spoiler: Ino is subjected to this as well when she gets tangled with the copy of Orochimaru hidden in Kidomaru's seal.]]* MundaneUtility: In chapter 14, Kakashi uses the incredibly powerful water dragon jutsu... to have a water fight with his students.** [[spoiler: [[AnIcePerson Haku uses his ice]] to soothe Shikako`s fever.]] * MurderIsTheBestSolution: [[spoiler:Shikako kills the genin team from Sound because it was the least risky option available to her. This is a source of some guilt afterwards.]]* MyFriendsAndZoidberg: Both Lee and to a lesser extent, Gai, seem to fill a somewhat lighthearted and good-natured riff on this role.* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Sasuke, [[spoiler:after he hit Shikako under the influence of the curse seal.]]* NiceGirl: Shikako herself. She also regards Ino as this, and Choji as the male varient.* NoodleIncident: Shikamaru threatens Sasuke [[spoiler:after he hurt Shikako while under the effect of the curse seal.]] We don't get to find out what he said, but it made Sasuke nervous around him.** Also, we never find out exactly what earned Shikako her reputation as a MadBomber.* NoPeriodsPeriod: Invoked by Shikako when she mentions why Tsunade is revered by the female population of Konoha.* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: Team Ino-Shika-Cho, senior [[spoiler: manage to dismember and capture Hidan]].* OhCrap: Shikako's reaction to finding herself in the Narutoverse.* PastLifeMemories: The source of some of Shikako's knowledge.* PlotTailoredToTheParty: Invoked. See FridgeBrilliance.* PoorCommunicationKills: Shikako comes up with several plans [[spoiler:to fight Zabuza and Haku.]] Unfortunately, she forgets to tell them to her teammates. [[spoiler:Fortunately, none of them actually die.]]* PrecisionFStrike: Shikako delivers one [[spoiler:when Itachi corners her and Naruto.]]* RedemptionEarnsLife: [[spoiler:Zabuza and Haku]], at least compared to canon where [[spoiler:Haku never actually turned and Zabuza simply went out via TakingYouWithMe.]]* {{Reincarnation}}: Shikako obviously. * RememberWhenYouBlewUpASun: Kiba promises to invoke this about Shikako's second fight in the Grass Chunin Exams, where she [[spoiler:has her chakra sealed, but manages to come out on top by strangling Muku with her hair.]]-->'''Shikako:''' "You don't need to mention it ever again."-->'''Kiba:''' "Oh, no. This is never, ever being forgotten."-->'''Shikako:''' "It worked."-->'''Kiba:''' "That's why it's amazing, and why I'm going to tell this story for the rest of your life."** WordOfGod [[https://www.fanfiction.net/topic/180237/137948546/2/Recursive-Fanfiction#138278421 says that Kiba tends to invoke this trope a lot off-screen.]]* RunningGag: Every C-rank or above mission they go on quickly goes to hell and becomes a higher rank mission.** Shikako and explosives.* SelfInsert: By way of {{Reincarnation}}.* ShoutOut ** ''[[Franchise/{{Dune}} Fear is the mind killer.]]''** Shikako also quotes Creator/WilliamShakespeare at one point.** ''Lightsaber''. '''''Lightsaber'''''.** A kidou spell from ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' is used as an identification code between Konoha ninja.** In Chapter 29, ''[[{{FriedrichNietzsche}} "When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes into you."]]''** "Lightning Release; Sword in the Stone!"** Shikako's nickname (she made up herself, told to Sakura, and was popularized by Ino)? [[Anime/CorpsePrincess Shikabane-hime]].** Shikako escapes [[spoiler: her kidnapper during the Second Chunin exams]] in a way very reminiscent of how [[Franchise/FullmetalAlchemist Kimblee gives Scar his trademark facial scarring]]. By [[spoiler: planting an explosive seal on his face]].* ShipTease: Nothing solid just yet - but the one-sided Naru/Hina is definately there. There might be some Shikako ShipTease in several chapters for those who insist on wearing ShippingGoggles. ** [[spoiler: Shikamaru/Tenten seems to have been confirmed in Chapter 110. Whether it lasts is another question.]]* ShrinkingViolet: Shikako has shades of this, especially early on. Nowhere near as bad as Hinata, though.* SkewedPriorities: The Director in the Land of Snow arc. Repeatedly. [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] by Shikako. Repeatedly.--> '''Director''': "To film a movie using a real princess… that is something that happens once in a lifetime."* SolarAndLunar: [[TitleDrop Sunlight]] is often used as a visual metephor, or motif, for when Shikako is content or healing. On the other hand, sad or pivotal scenes usually take place at night. Such as Shikako's big conversation with Kakashi after [[spoiler: 'discovering' Naruto is a jinchuriki]], and later [[spoiler: Shikako convincing Sasuke not to defect]].* SparedByTheAdaptation:** Pre-timeskip: [[spoiler:Zabuza, Haku, and Hayate. Sandayu from the 1st Movie as well. Most recently: Tayuya, Sakon & Jirobou.]]* StandardFemaleGrabArea: A competing Nin does this on Shikako during the second chunin Exams. It does not work.* StuffBlowingUp: Shikako is fond of explosions, which turns into something of a RunningGag.* SummonMagic: [[spoiler: Ino gets the Chameleon contract after she and Shikako are led to the contract scroll in Kubisaki Castle. Shikako gains this as well by picking up the Deer contract her family has.]]* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Shikako [[InvokedTrope does this deliberately]] in order to warn Fuu about the Akatsuki.* TakingTheBullet: [[spoiler:Shikako uses the replacement technique to protect Sasuke from Itachi's [[MindRape Tsukuyomi]], which means she gets hit by it instead.]]* TallDarkAndHandsome: Ino regarding Sai: "So who's tall, dark and pale?"* TheseHandsHaveKilled: [[spoiler:Shikako after killing the Sound trio; Kiba follows suit when he dispatches a Suna ninja to save Shikako's life.]]* TheStationsOfTheCanon: Followed for the most part, but kept interesting by having the narrator notice the logical inconsistencies of the original work and coming up with plausible explanations for them. Unusually, it includes a number of anime filler episodes.** Said fillers, in turn, are utilised in order to ''expand on'' the plot, even more than the anime did - for instance, ''Sunshine Sidestories'' expands on Kakashi's previous visit to the Land of Snow, while in the main story Shikako, during the mission where Team 7 confronts [[FillerVillain Aoi Rokusho]], manages to wrest the Second Hokage's sword from him rather than destroy it. These are just two examples.* TheUnfought: So far, Shikako has managed to sidestep [[spoiler: Kabuto]] several times.* ThrowDownTheBomblet: Shikako's first weapon-of-choice happens to be explosive tags and notes.* TookALevelInBadass: Since this is a ''Naruto'' fanfic, many characters become stronger over time, particularly if they have suffered a bad defeat and have something to make up for. Special note goes to Ino, who starts out the story slightly stronger than her canon counterpart, suffers serious injuries after fighting [[spoiler: the Sound Four]], and then recovers and becomes a much stronger, more versatile fighter [[spoiler: with the aid of her chameleon summons.]]* TournamentArc: In addition to the canonical Chuunin Exams, the Konoha Genin who did not get promoted then are sent to the next exams, in the Land of Grass. For the most part, the contestants are who make it to the tournament section of the exam treat it as what it is--a chance to show off their skills and potentially earn a promotion, rather than a series of life and death fights or something that has to be won at all costs. The exceptions are [[spoiler: Mubi and Oboro]], for whom ItsPersonal. [[spoiler: Konoha dominates the exams, with more of their genin making it to the finals than any other two villages combined and all of them making it to the second round. But the finals end up being between Gaara and Haku, which is portrayed as the best thing that could have happened--Gaara needs to win the tournament to establish his reputation, and Haku needs to stay in the tournament as long as possible because he's the only Hidden Mist contestant left in the exam.]]* TranquilFury: Sasuke enters this state after [[spoiler: Kimimaro nearly kills Naruto.]]* TrueCompanions: Team 7 - the bond here is stronger than in canon thanks to Shikako establishing the traditions of post-fight discussions to critique on another on each others abilities, & post-mission dinner celebrations at the Nara Residence. To a lesser extent, the Rookie Nine are all fairly close friends and acquaintances.* UnfazedEveryman: Shikako describes the civilians of the Hidden Villages as this.* WeNeedToGetProof: One of the reasons Shikako doesn't run around changing things willy-nilly is because no one would ever believe her. Instead she painstakingly begins investigating [[spoiler: The Uchiha massacre - after being subjected to Tsukuyomi, and Akatsuki]] this even makes some sense, since she KNOWS the information is there and will thus notice things someone else would dismiss.* WeirdnessMagnet: Team 7's C-rank level missions routinely end up A-rank or worse, S-Rank. This why the [[AscendedFanon Mission Desk Ninja]] fear assigning them missions, and [[DrawingStraws Special Jonin do not want to go on patrol with one.]]* WhamEpisode: There've been a few. ** Chapter 70: [[spoiler: Shikako technically dies in battle against Gelel.]] This incident permanently changes her relationship with her brother. Up until this point they were close allies who felt like they understood each other; afterwards, Shikamaru tries to sideline Shikako for her own protection, she pushes back, and they periodically have actual fights.** Chapter 115: [[spoiler: Shikamaru loses his arm, on a mission Shikako commanded.]]** Chapter 139: [[spoiler: Shikako is captured by Jashinists and her mission partner Aoba is murdered. Rather than allow herself to be sacrificed to allow their evil god into the world, she tries to use her black hole seal to kill everyone on site, including herself. The cultists disrupt her seal, resulting in an explosion that destroys the Land of Hot Springs--including a small army of Kumo ninja. Within a week, the tensions that have been building between Kumo and Konoha throughout the fic have flared into war.]]* WhyAmITicking: Shikako attempts this on Kimimaro. Either because she's [[YouCanBarelyStand exhausted]] or because he's a [[TheJuggernaut beast]], it doesn't work.* WiseBeyondTheirYears: Shikako, due to having the memories of a previous life.* YouAreNotAlone: [[spoiler:When Naruto lets slip his status as a jinchuuriki to Shikako, Skikamaru, and Choji, they reassure him that it doesn't matter to them and that they are still his friends. He - [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming and probably the reader too]] - has to hold back tears.]]** Naruto also says this to Fuu.** [[spoiler:Shikako has a very emotional moment after she realizes that Gaara has begun to look into Akatsuki too- she is no longer fighting to change the future alone]].* YouCanBarelyStand: [[spoiler:Shikako faces off against the Sound genin by herself while concussed, sleep deprived, low on chakra, and nursing several broken ribs and a broken arm from the encounter with Orochimaru - and [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome she kills all three of them]].]]* YouMonster: In-universe, Kabuto is the ''only'' person Shikako feels enough pure, unadulterated ''hatred'' to want to kill with her own bare hands - the only reason she's not doing so is because she realizes he's too strong for her, which frustrates her due to knowing [[MoralEventHorizon how far his crimes will eventually go]].* YourHeadAsplode: What happens to [[spoiler: Shikako's attempted kidnapper.]]